Games based upon the balancing of objects are known. One game is based upon the balancing of dissimilar shaped blocks, for example. The blocks are stacked one atop the other in sequence until the construct topples or no more blocks can be added. Yet another game is based upon the stacking of blocks having a trapezoidal cross-section. An elongate slot is disposed through the side of each block, such that the stacking of the blocks can also be facilitated by insertion of a rod through the elongate slot. Each of these games is characterized by a stacking of a block, a brick, a shape, or, generally, a game piece, one atop the other.
Another class of games involves the stacking of game pieces to form a tower. Such games are played by first building the tower and then removing the game pieces. In one such game, the game is played by building a tower of bricks in multiple levels. Players remove a brick from one level and add it to the top of the tower to build new levels until collapse of the tower occurs.
In yet another game, pieces in the shape of blocks are stacked in a crisscrossed pattern to form a tower. The blocks are composed of material which has a weight and sliding characteristic which permits them to be easily removed from the tower. The blocks are then pulled out one at a time from anywhere below the existing top layer of the tower and then placed back atop the tower. This process continues until the tower collapses.
In each of the aforementioned games, the game pieces are typically rectangular in shape, although other geometries are known. For example, one game involves the stacking of game pieces where each game piece has a different geometry.
One problem with these conventional balancing or stacking games is that they do not provide the means to change the degree of difficulty of performing the game with respect to a single game piece geometry. Such conventional games are only suitable to a single group having a particular skill level. Therefore, these games are typically used by a narrow age group.
Yet another problem with such conventional games is that the games typically require only one type of skill to play and, thus, challenge only one skill attribute. For example, a conventional game may be based only on the balancing of game pieces. Alternatively, a conventional game may be based on the selective removal of game pieces while maintaining the balance of the remaining stacked game pieces. Additionally, conventional balancing skill games are designed to be played in a well lit room. In each case, only one skill attribute is challenged by the game.
The use of containers for containing game pieces when a game is not in use is known in the art. Typically, such containers consist of boxes or bags into which game pieces, and game instructions, are included. A drawback of such containers, however, is that the game pieces are contained in a loose arrangement. Thus, often the game pieces may be chipped are otherwise damaged when the container is moved or transported to a playing area. This is a particular drawback to players of a stacking game where the ability to balance a game piece may be seriously compromised by a damaged game piece. Also, because the game pieces are stored loose, it is not always apparent to a player if a game piece is missing until the game is in play. Another drawback of such containers is that individual game pieces are not always easily accessible. A player may damage a game piece in attempting to retrieve a single game piece from the loose collection of game pieces in the container. Furthermore, because the game instructions are stored loose, it is not always apparent to a player if the instructions are missing until the game is in play.
Each of the above prior art games has to some extent proven limited. What would therefore be advantageous would be a game that offered a challenge to variable skill level groups. It would be further advantageous to have a game that challenged not one, but many skill attributes. It would also be an advantage to provide a game kit which would contain game pieces when a game was not in use such that the game pieces would not become damaged. It would be an even further advantage to provide a game kit which would contain game pieces and instructions in a manner that would make it apparent when any of the game piece or instructions were missing.